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A meeting took place on 21st February 2017 in Derby between representatives of the Supporters Direct Board of Directors [Brian Burgess - Chair and Tim Hartley - Vice-chair] and of Justice4Jac [Robert Pepper, Rob Bradley, Tanya Noon (RamsTrust), Rick Keracher and Elaine Dean (RamsTrust)].

The meeting focussed on concerns over the ways Supporters Direct dealt with seriously-ill employee Jacqui Forster and broader matters including the significant challenges facing the organisation.

SD representatives confirmed that they accepted that arrangements could have been handled better but confirmed that, since then, many of the persons involved at the time have moved on including former directors and the then CEO. J4J representatives remain of a mind that current directors who were party to poor decisions at the time should stand down, if only to stand for re-election to confirm they retained the support of the broader membership.

Discussing Supporters Direct more generally, the J4J group urged the Board of Directors to carry out a root-and-branch examination of the organisation as whole including examining re-branding and a re-launch.

The failure to secure significant funding from appropriate sources, the lack of a strong visible presence within the football industry, the failure to use the experience and skills of willing trust members who have previously driven the recovery of clubs or arranged their rebirths to the future advantage of Supporters Direct, the need for the organisation to retain its own identity and embracing diversity were among many matters discussed. Many suggestions were put forward by the J4J party to address some if not all of these issues.

In concluding all persons were keen to extend their very best wishes to Jacqui Forster and hoped that her situation with regard to Supporters Direct might now be the catalyst for the organisation to embrace positive change and improvement for the clear benefit of the trust movement as a whole.

In October last year, Justice4Jac was pleased to report that after several months of relentless pressure put on the Chair and Board of Supporters Direct, a decision had been made to pay the salary of terminally ill, longest-serving employee, Jacqui Forster, from June to December 2016.

That was indeed welcome news but the campaigning group, including former Vice Chairs and directors of SD, called for the resignation of those responsible for voting to stop the pay. Their actions caused needless unnecessary stress to a terminally-ill woman when she least needed it.

That call went unheeded but this year will see another round of elections to the Board of Supporters Direct and Justice4Jac hereby serves public notice of its intention to nominate one or more candidates for election to replace those responsible for last year’s code of behaviour, unacceptable for a co-operative organisation.

With the advent of a New Year and the concomitant opportunity for reflection and new resolutions, it isn’t too late for the responsible directors to do the honourable thing and resign their positions rather than face a public debate on their abject lack of compassion and co-operative values."

Signed by:

Phil Beardmore - Birmingham City trust

Mark Boocock - former chair Bradford City Supporters Trust

John Boyle - board member, Stafford Rangers Trust

Rob Bradley - former Vice Chair of SD, ex Chair of Lincoln Trust and of Lincoln City FC

Lou Carton Kelly - former VC of SD and former Chair, Dons Trust

Simon Cope - former SD director and ex Chair Scarborough Athletic FC

Elaine Dean - former Vice Chair of SD and current vice chair RamsTrust

Alan Digby - Foxes Trust member

Pete Drew - Treasurer, RamsTrust

Rick Keracher - former SD director and ex Chair Lincoln City Trust

Mark Longden - founder member - Shareholders Utd & MUST member

Paul Miller - Ilkeston Town supporter

Tanya Noon - Secretary, RamsTrust

Robert Pepper - former Vice Chair of SD / ex Chair Huddersfield ST

Linda Smith - Northampton Town trust

Kris Stewart - former director SD, founding chair AFC Wimbledon

Tony Taylor - former Vice Chair SD, former chair Darlington trust

Phil Tooley - former director of SD and acting MD at SD - and the person who appointed Jacqui Forster

Malcolm Turner - former director SD

Jim Wheeler - Chair of RamsTrust

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For further details please contact:

Robert Pepper 07798 727782
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SD – which helps fans to set up democratic co-operatives (known as supporters’ trusts) to gain influence in the running and ownership of their clubs – made the u-turn after defending its reluctance to pay out earlier by saying it was forced to “do more with less” financially. Ms Forster has now received her back pay from June to December 2016.

A Justice4Jac campaign was set up by former SD directors and trust members, which urged the business to continue to pay Ms Forster, and a Just Giving page raised almost £2,000 in two months from nearly 50 supporters. Ms Forster intends to use the monies raised to set up a legacy campaign to encourage more women to attend sporting events. While welcoming the turnabout, the Justice4Jac group has called on those who voted to stop the pay to resign.

“Supporters Direct should never just rely on legislation in how it deals with urgent matters. Instead, the organisation should be helping Jacqui as she deals with a dreadful situation,” said a statement.

“We raise this because we want everyone in football who knows Jacqui Forster to show her their support and equally make their own judgment about her employer who, in our view, has let her down disgracefully.”

SD chair Brian Burgess said at the time: “We note that former SD board members have publicly aired concerns about recent board decisions relating to a member of SD staff.

“We hope, however, that members will understand that we seek to act at all times in the best interests of all SD members, all SD staff, and the entire supporters trust movement.”

Robert Pepper, who is involved in the Justice4Jac campaign, has resigned as the SD reciprocal member of the Football Supporters Federation National Council because of the initial decision to stop Ms Forster’s salary.

It is hereby resolved that subject to the provisions of section 4A of the 1968Friendly and Industrial and Provident Societies Act, the members of theSociety shall not require an audit for the accounts covering the currentfinancial year ending on 24th March 2017 when they are presented to the next AGM held in 2017. Instead of an audit, an independent examination shall be carried out, in line with the best practice of Supporters Direct.